San Francisco Giants Minor League Major Performances: June 29th, 2018
From around the minor leagues, some San Francisco Giants prospects warrant some recognition for their strong performances as they attempt to make their way through the system.
In Double-A with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the player who stood out the most was a reliever who threw just 14 pitches. Patrick Ruotolo came in for the eighth inning with Richmond down by three, and he blew the Hartford Yard Goats away.
Routolo began the inning by getting Roberto Ramos to swing and miss through strike three, then did the same thing to Brian Mundell. He ended the inning with a called strike three, sending Sam Hilliard back to the bench with his bat planted on his shoulder. For Mundell, his strikeout against Ruotolo was the only out he made on a three-hit day. Out of his 14 pitches, Ruotolo induced five swing-and-misses.
Ruotolo began the year with High-A San Jose, and received a mid-year promotion up to Richmond. He has breezed through both levels, becoming one of the most reliable bullpen arms at both stops. In San Jose, he pitched to a 1.47 ERA and 1.018 WHIP, holding opponents to a .190 average while striking out 26 batters in 18.1 innings. Since the promotion, Routolo has a .230 ERA and 1.149 WHIP, and is still holding batters to a .190 average. He’s punched out 20 batters in 15.2 innings.
The Giants’ 27th-round pick out of UConn in 2016, Ruotolo has already blasted through expectations for a player with that draft status. Now in 89 career appearances, Ruotolo owns a 1.61 ERA and 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings, The 5-11 righty patterned his delivery after Giant legend Tim Lincecum, though it is a notably calmer version (by his own admission) of Lincecum’s famous windup. Still, it certainly appears to be working wonders for the 23-year-old.
Outfielder Heath Quinn continued his huge season for the San Jose Giants on Thursday, picking up three more hits, including his seventh home run of the season, and added a walk as the Baby Giants beat the Stockton Ports 6-1.
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Quinn started his day with a single in the first inning, playing part in a rally to score a run to tie the game at one apiece. He led off the third inning with a first-pitch home run, launching the shot to left-center field. That blast provided all the difference the Giants needed, but they would add insurance throughout the day. His fifth-inning walk kept the line moving as San Jose eventually scored another run, and he contributed to a three-run eighth inning with his third hit, another single.
The Giants’ third-round pick in 2016 has put together quite the campaign in his second year with San Jose. Through 40 games, the big right-handed left fielder is slashing .338/.391/.539, and enjoyed a 15-game hitting streak earlier in the year, during which he hit .407. He’s also cut down on strikeouts considerably, going from 29% in 2017 to 22% this year.
He missed about a month between May and early June with a hamstring injury, but has come back off the disabled list with a vengeance. Since returning, Quinn is hitting .391/.440/.652 in 12 games with four of his seven home runs.
In the Dominican Summer League, young outfielder Richgelon Juliana had quite the day in a losing effort against the DSL Rockies. Hitting fifth and playing center field, Juliana collected three hits, including a pair of home runs, with four RBI and three runs scored.
After striking out with a runner on second in the first inning, Juliana followed up with a home run to left field, a three-run shot that put the Giants ahead 4-0. He led off the sixth with a single, then scored after a couple of errors. Then in the eighth, he added his second long ball to left field of the day, giving the Giants a 6-4 lead. They wouldn’t hold on, however, ass the Rockies scored four times in the bottom of the eighth to come away winners.
The 18-year-old from Curacao, playing his first professional season, hit the first home runs of his professional career on Thursday, and interestingly enough, become the first DSL Giants player other than Jean Pena and Luis Toribio (both with four apiece) to hit a home run this season. His 10 RBI ranks him third on the team, and he is tied for the team lead with a pair of triples.
Next: The Giants' Biggest Difference This Season
Others of Note:
Chase Johnson (Richmond): 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (first start off DL after concussion)
Bryce Johnson (San Jose): 3-4, 2B (13), RBI (23), 2 R, BB
Jalen Miller (San Jose): 3-5, 2B (19), 2 RBI (41)
Jacob Gonzalez (Augusta): 2-4, 3B (1), 2 RBI (38), R
Kyle McPherson (Salem-Keizer): 2-4, HR (1), 2 RBI (6), 2 R (first professional HR)
David Villar (Salem-Keizer): 2-4, HR (1), 2 RBI (2), R (first professional HR)